The Vermont Review

By BK

In addition to the Living Daylights, who are featured in this issue with an interview
with their bassist Arne Livingstone, there is another jazz-rock trio that calls the
Pacific Northwest home. This band is Seattles Rockin Teenage Combo
and the release is 6/4 Getaway, which consisted of pianist Dara Quinn, bassist Paul Kemmish and
the split drumming duties of Olli Klomp and Dave Hill. Since the release of this
album, drummer Jason McGerr has assumed the full time drumming duties. Like
all of their jazz trio colleagues, Rockin Teenage Combo dedicate their skills to the
creation of dance grooves with the use of only three instruments. In this case, a
difficult task easily accomplished. Superhero" has progressive rock undertones
with its complex composition, the use of themes and long periods of improvisation. At moments, the
song has the hard drive of King Crimson but at the next, it has the funky Latin sounds of
Chick Corea. That is just the opening song. "PK & Ollis" is an
incredible groove that could almost be classified as techno unplugged. The groove is
upbeat and entrancing and with its repeating themes, there is an aura of acoustic looping.
A sound somewhat similar to what Miles Davis was trying to achieve in the 1970s but
simpler and less textured. "BH" allows for the band to play some medium tempo
swinging blues while "Slinkshot" is a groove funk piece in the tradition of an
acoustic Medeski, Martin and Wood. Quinn gives up the acoustic sounds to get abstract with
her electronic keys for this one. This song also allows for Klemmish to create
some genuinely pulsating rhythms. Once again, there is a dance floor sensation but with
the confines of a jazz trio. For the tune "Somebody Elses Umbrella",
Quinns playing is phenomenal. Even in the middle of a percussion laden rhythmic
groove that would bring any napper to his/her feet, Quinn manages to still play
introspectively and deliberately. This album is yet another reason why jazz trios are
creating the best music out there today: the Slip, Soulive, Medeski, Martin &Wood,
these guys. Need I say more?